Mission
History
On October 6, 1943 took off from Carney Field on Guadalcanal on a dusk parafrag bombing and strafing mission
against Kahili Airfield on southern Bougainville. Weather was reported as 2,000' ceiling with visibility of 5-10 miles. Over the target, this B-25 crashed into the sea off Moila Point at 6:48pm and was seen to break up on impact. When this B-25 failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Mark H. Costello, 2nd Lt. 69th BS adds:
"We were about 5 miles out from Moli Point (sic Moila Point) when I looked back and saw Lieutenant Spies airplane hit the water and cartwheel to the left. It's my opinion that no one got out of the wreck."

A History of the 42nd Bombardment Group (October 6, 1943):
"Lt. Lloyd D. Spies and crew were lost on this one when their plane was shot down 300 feet off the target, cart wheeling into the water. There were no survivors."

MemorialsThe entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. Dixon also has a memorial marker at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha, NB.

RelativesDavid Postel (great-nephew of Postel)
"The co-pilot was my great uncle, George Postel. Any more info on the wreck site, pictures, etc would be greatly appreciated by my family. I currently have George Postel's flight log, and some of his other personal affects but really little info otherwise. No pictures from his time there or anything like that. It would be nice to be able to put a location on where he actually is now."